Pictures and Video from the Season Opener

[BlackMetalNinja]

Alright guys, as promised I've got pictures and videos to share from the game last night... some of the pictures are a bit blurry since I had to zoom in all the way and that has a tendency to goof my camera up a bit, but they're better than nothing!

I'll start off with the videos I took and then some of the better pictures. Afterwards I'll fill in some commentary about my impressions of being in the RBC Center last night!

[BlackMetalNinja]

I changed my mind... we'll start off with the shocking banner raising that occurred last night and had the place in stunned silence...

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/scottlunn/100_0923.jpg

[G Wolly]

*ahem* ....

[G Wolly]

*AHEM!*

[BlackMetalNinja]

*ahem* ....

Alright... so that wasn't the reaaaaaaaaal banner that got raised... Immortal Corruptor helped me out with this one, and I do say it looks much better than this crap:


http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/32/32/5/28/98/2950528980082418437IsZnlJ_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2950528980082418437IsZnlJ)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Sorry about the thumbnails on the rest of these, but webshots hasn't gotten stupid with the way they do things... I either have to post thumbnails or full sized pictures which are massive...

Campbell and Mair stretching as Gaustad skates by

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/59/59/5/28/96/2912528960082418437ViZlDP_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2912528960082418437ViZlDP)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Ryan Miller during warmups

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/34/35/9/29/60/2140929600082418437tHGnBH_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2140929600082418437tHGnBH)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Danny Briere stretching out

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/26/27/9/49/87/2902949870082418437alvFgO_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2902949870082418437alvFgO)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Brian Campbell seems to be checking out Max's ass while Derek Roy wonders what his problem is

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/22/22/8/40/27/2814840270082418437xANZop_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2814840270082418437xANZop)

[BlackMetalNinja]

An extremely blurry picture of what we'll be hoisting in about 8 months

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/32/33/7/40/57/2018740570082418437otpIxP_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2018740570082418437otpIxP)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Even their Zambonis are redneck!

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/57/757/6/91/86/2012691860082418437rRQBvd_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2012691860082418437rRQBvd)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Your typical Hurricanes fan...

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/14/15/0/56/0/2512056000082418437xoIuGP_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2512056000082418437xoIuGP)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Marty Biron in his lonely seat in the corner... his helmet was blank white by the way

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/32/32/2/88/63/2458288630082418437zPTKMU_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2458288630082418437zPTKMU)

[G Wolly]

I just lookin to see thanks to IC for making this super awesome picture for me under 5 minutes! :up:

[BlackMetalNinja]

Straight Chillin

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/32/33/2/97/92/2490297920082418437GUvCyb_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2490297920082418437GUvCyb)

[BlackMetalNinja]

I wouldn't stiff you on credit IC... I was just going to let the joke play a little longer!

Buffalo's Bench

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/32/33/1/36/70/2636136700082418437jZqqBs_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2636136700082418437jZqqBs)

[BlackMetalNinja]

In Between Action

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/28/28/6/8/64/2245608640082418437GiqysD_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2245608640082418437GiqysD)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Mike Commodore was a bad boy

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/57/657/1/31/78/2829131780082418437tKclEA_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2829131780082418437tKclEA)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Buffalo works the ensuing PP

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/59/559/0/51/89/2939051890082418437JgQEuj_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2939051890082418437JgQEuj)

[BlackMetalNinja]

One of Ward's many nice saves, the only Cane I'll give any credit to

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/59/659/3/96/81/2074396810082418437OlcqOH_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2074396810082418437OlcqOH)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Line change... also known as "Too Many Men on the Ice" to Canes fans...

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/14/15/5/36/86/2924536860082418437LfJnfX_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2924536860082418437LfJnfX)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Another stoppage

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/57/757/7/89/35/2515789350082418437NaDIzF_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2515789350082418437NaDIzF)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Your first goal scorer of the season, Jason "welcome to" Pominville!

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/57/557/5/89/67/2851589670082418437PuIILH_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2851589670082418437PuIILH)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Ryan Miller lookin lonely

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/22/23/7/69/35/2302769350082418437ZWSAcn_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2302769350082418437ZWSAcn)

[BlackMetalNinja]

He's not afraid of a shootout!

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/28/29/4/46/8/2502446080082418437JfpCiw_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2502446080082418437JfpCiw)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Full Bench Shot

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/59/459/8/92/53/2586892530082418437vJbczf_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2586892530082418437vJbczf)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Sabres tie it up after Chris Drury's goal

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/59/159/1/19/4/2847119040082418437KqKwbU_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2847119040082418437KqKwbU)

[BlackMetalNinja]

Jochen Hecht and Danny B. late in the game... not long before Daniel makes Mr. Ward look silly in the shootout!

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/57/757/5/0/81/2387500810082418437bNTMJQ_th.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2387500810082418437bNTMJQ)

[BlackMetalNinja]

That's all the decent ones, I have a few more but a lot of them are blurry and boring!

[SkateZilla]

For Video, I Reccemend, Putfile.com 25 MB Limit, But COmpressed WMV9 Pro you can fit 5+ Minutes of Standard Digital (640x480) in 25 MB

[BlackMetalNinja]

Last night was certainly interesting if nothing else...

Throughout the whole banner raising ceremony and introductions and crap, my wife and were the only ones sitting in the place, but I refused to acknowledge what I believe was rightfully our celebration taken away from us.

The stories I had heard about soccer moms and stuff at the game were pretty dead on. Most of the place was families... Mom, Dad, and kids. There were two parents and an infant right behind us, that was real enjoyable! They didn't stay long though. Honestly... who brings a kid less than a year old to a hockey game?!?!? Definitely not the same atmosphere as a game in Buffalo.

That being said, the place was loud as all hell during the ceremony, apparantly kids and middle aged women make for good screamers. In particular the section I was in was by far the rowdiest in the place, which made it even more fun. They had their own little cheers and started the whole place making noise.

They didn't like me or my wife too much though! After Pom's first goal we were cheering and clapping and I got some death looks. Nobody really tried to start crap with us all night though.

I did hear some crap about the Slug of course, but that was expected. I politely informed them that it wasn't a slug, it was Donald Trump's hairpiece! At one point early on in the game, they put a graphic of our logo up on the scoreboard and then a note that said, "Contrary to popular belief, the Sabres logo is not a banana slug!" Lots of laughter ensued... how clever these Canes people are!

I really do think many of the fans are simply uneducated when it comes to hockey. They were certainly Homers all the way... After every Buffalo penalty, my section would do the "dun da dun dun, dun da dun dun DUN" thing then in unison scream "Cheaters Never Win" Yet they booed furiously and screamed at the refs on any Canes penalties, including some of the rediculously obvious one.

They were also furious when Spacek flipped that one dude over with a hipcheck. After the game they were all pretty respectful and said it was a really good game, but they obviously were dissapointed. I became a definite enemy right before leaving though. They announced the 3 stars of the game, which were all Hurricanes... and when they said #1, Cam Ward. I said, "Sweet the number one star helped Buffalo win the game when Briere toasted him". They didn't like that too much...

As for my impressions of the team... They couldn't stay the hell out of the penalty box. While I think some of the calls were a little questionable, in general we just committed too many. That being said, the Penalty Kill played pretty well with the exception of the 5-3 where they gave up the goal... but not much they could do there. Our Power Play on the other hand looked lackluster for the most part, especally when we had the 5-3 for almost a full 2 minutes...

Spacek impressed me, he was very solid on D all night and handled the point pretty well on the PP. Brian Campbell was simply the man though, he broke up a ton of opportunities and blocked some key shots throughout the night.

Max played pretty well, only getting carried away and skating too much a few times, but generally doing his best to create. Vanek on the other hand, didn't do much of anything from my vantage point.

The thing that really surprised me the most considering this was the first game of the year was how sharp both Cam Ward and Ryan Miller looked... They both made some stellar saves, and the goals they gave up weren't really their fault... except of course for Briere making Ward look like a fool in the shootout!

Anyways, that's my take on things from the RBC last night... Too bad I have to wait until the middle of November to see hockey live again, and then after that it'll be several months at least.

I can't wait for us to have a celebration like what I saw last night in Buffalo next year. I WILL come home for that, without a doubt!

[BlackMetalNinja]

Putfile definitely works better... Here's the videos:


Some Random Action:
Click here to watch 'Random Action' (http://media.putfile.com/100-0949)

Sabres on the Penalty Kill:

Click here to watch 'Sabres-Penalty-Kill' (http://media.putfile.com/Sabres-Penalty-Kill)

Cam Ward with one of many nice saves... the only Hurricane I'll give any credit to:

Click here to watch 'Cam-Ward-Save' (http://media.putfile.com/Cam-Ward-Save)

[JD]

When they dont put restrictions on tickets for games there, you'll see thousands of us drive down there in droves to cheer on our Sabres!! You see any fans there last night btw?

[BlackMetalNinja]

When they dont put restrictions on tickets for games there, you'll see thousands of us drive down there in droves to cheer on our Sabres!! You see any fans there last night btw?
I forgot to mention that actually... hardly any. I saw approximately a dozen Sabres fans throughout the night. Of course, since they didn't sell any single game tickets for it, I wouldn't expect that many. How many Sabres fans would want to buy season ticket packages after all... It was definitely a sea of Red in that place all night long.

I also forgot to mention that the one and only thing that organization gets any credit for is the Storm Squad... those girls are Smoooooookin' hot!

[JD]

I forgot to mention that actually... hardly any. I saw approximately a dozen Sabres fans throughout the night. Of course, since they didn't sell any single game tickets for it, I wouldn't expect that many. How many Sabres fans would want to buy season ticket packages after all... It was definitely a see of Red in that place all night long.

I also forgot to mention that the one and only thing that organization gets any credit for is the Storm Squad... those girls are Smoooooookin' hot!
It's bull****. The only reason they did that thing where you had to buy a minipack in order to goto the opener was just to stop us all from driving down and ruining their party. Thankfully, the Sabres did the job for us. **** Carolina. Also, the only reason they have "smokin hot" women is because they MOVE there. Gauranteed half of them are from the north. The good looking sluts just move closer to the beaches. Tis all.